Peyton's Place: Not Where Baltimore Ravens Fans Want To Spend Wild Card Weekend

"[ Come playoff time the Colts will likely be an opponent and if John Harbaugh, Joe Flacco and Ray Lewis want to remove a monkey the size of a Mayflower truck off of their backs then they are going to have to beat the Indy Manning's. ]"

Full story here!

Offensive & Defensive Strategies: Bengals vs. Ravens

"[ As a team and organization, the (11-4) Baltimore Ravens should be proud of making it to the playoffs for the third consecutive year.  Although this year might not have been as perfect as some fans would have liked, this organization continues to prove that they are one of the best franchises in the NFL. ]"
Read here for the full story.

Ravens running back Ray Rice one game away from fumble-free year

"[ Ray Rice is zeroing in on a remarkable feat for a running back. He has yet to fumble this year with one game left in the regular season. He has yet to put the ball on the ground despite touching the ball 350 times this season (287 carries and 63 receptions). When asked about the streak, Rice said, "Where is the wood at? I'm going to go find me some wood to knock 
on." ]"
Full story here!

ESPN's 2010 NFL Power Rankings: Week 17

ESPN places Baltimore at #3 following the Patriots and the Falcons as they head into their last game of the season! The Saints and the Steelers round out the top 5!

Check out the full list here!

Ravens' starters expecting to play all 60 minutes

"[ The Baltimore Ravens are probably going to be the No. 5 seed in the AFC playoffs. Key word being probably, as they need the Steelers to lose to the Browns for a chance at a first-round bye. But even if Pittsburgh is trouncing Cleveland while the Ravens take on Bengals, head coach John Harbaugh has no plans to rest his starters. "I won't [sit starters] based on Pittsburgh's score," Harbaugh told the Baltimore Sun on Wednesday. We'll just play it like we always play it, and we'll try to win." Linebacker Ray Lewis agreed with his coach and said resting starters wouldn't be the right thing to do. "I think that would be hard to do that because you wonder if you're going to put somebody else at risk," Lewis said. "... if you take somebody out, then you're just putting more pressure on somebody else. The easiest thing to do is just go in and play the game out as a full team. Finish the game and see what happens after that." ]"


Originally posted on http://www.fanfeedr.com/nfl/2010/12/30/ravens-starters-expecting-to-play-all-60-minutes

Everyone is Nursing Something! Thursday's Injury Report

Ed Reed was among those who sat out in practice today, uh oh! Hope everyone is ready for Sunday! Check out the full list here!

Playoffs and ProBowl: A Lot For The Ravens To Celebrate

Charm City Cakes brought by a cake yesterday to congratulate the Ravens accomplishments. Check it out!

2010 NFL Sound Of The Year Remix by dj steve porter

Pretty cool video, Ray Lewis featured 3 times throughout!

Inside The Ravens With Aaron Wilson - RAVENS NOTEBOOK: Long snapper Houser signed

Read it here! 

Housh Compares Flacco, Palmer

" Flacco has had a better 2010 season than Palmer when simply judging by the stats.
 
Despite the Bengals’ addition of Terrell Owens and drafting of other passing targets, Palmer’s got the fourth-most interceptions in the NFL (18) and a quarterback rating of 82.7, his lowest in a full-season since his rookie year.
 
“I’m very surprised,” Houshmandzadeh said. “You start to press, try to do too much. You force it to this guy because you want him to feel comfortable. I’m shocked they’re not winning. They’ve got a good team.” "

Fully story here!

Derrick Mason and Stan White Talk About My Blog!

I wasn't expecting a shoutout so I couldn't pull my camera out fast enough to catch the first half! The video picks up with Stan and Derrick talking about how many 'extra hits' my blog would get if I put Derrick Mason's face on it! The second half of the video is a segment from Derrick's show where he talks about entering the playoffs as a 'hot team'. I also included a picture of the blog post that Derrick and his special guest Le'Ron McClain signed for me! A great night spent at The Green Turtle in Owings Mills, MD with my dad!

Browns Potentially Could Ruin Steelers' Season

[ "A game the Pittsburgh Steelers were hoping would mean nothing now means everything, and they know it.

The Steelers (11-4) wanted to have the AFC North and a playoff bye wrapped up by now. They don't, and that means Sunday's game at Cleveland has the potential to significantly damage their chances of winning the Super Bowl even before the playoffs begin." ]

Full story here!

Ray Rice: Ravens Built For December To Get To January

Check out the video of Ray Rice talking to the press about this weekend's game against the Bengals here!

Le'Ron McClain Has Played Against Some Pretty Scary Teams But Apparently He's More Scared of the Dentist!

He posted this pic to Twitter with the caption:
"I'm going under, at the dentist I'm scared...."

Week 17 Matchup: Cincinnati Bengals at Baltimore Ravens

The Bengals demonstrated a new attitude last week, but as usual, it's too late to save their season. They have owned the Ravens lately, but that will change Sunday. The Ravens will pressure Palmer and he'll make several costly mistakes. The Bengals luck will finally run out. Prediction: Ravens 28, Bengals 24.

For the full story, click here!

Five Ravens voted to Pro Bowl team

[ "Billy Cundiff's curious NFL odyssey took him to eight teams and through countless trials before he arrived in Baltimore in November, 2009. A year later, Cundiff's destination includes coveted hot spots like Hawaii and the playoffs.

Cundiff was one of five Ravens named to the AFC's 2010 Pro Bowl team on Tuesday, another high-water mark in a fast-rising career as an emerging kicking star.

He is joined on the all-star team by perennial Pro Bowl selectees Ray Lewis and Ed Reed, as well as defensive tackle Haloti Ngata and linebacker Terrell Suggs. Lewis, the team's iconic middle linebacker, has been named to the Pro Bowl in 12 of his 15 seasons. Reed's selection was his seventh in nine years. "]
Full story here!

Heap Not Holding Out For Playoffs

"[ “I think the biggest thing is, do we want to win this game?” said Heap, a 10-year veteran. “At this point in the season, getting reps is all relative. I just have to be smart and try to make sure I know how my body’s going to respond before I get out there and do anything.

“I’m not really thinking about the playoffs just yet. I’m just trying to think of how I can recover the fastest and be 100 percent on the field.”]"

Read everything Heap had to say here!

Week 16 power rankings: Few changes at the top

The Ravens sit at #3, Full list here!

Ravens Scouting Playoff Opponents

[" The Ravens have somewhat of an idea as to who they’ll face in the first round of the playoffs, if they don’t secure a first-round bye, and even though they have to finish their season against the Cincinnati Bengals, the work on their next opponent has begun.

With an eye on the future with either the Indianapolis Colts (most likely), Kansas City Chiefs or Jacksonville Jaguars, the Ravens are looking at all possible scenarios.

“Our pro personnel department has been advancing the games, so they’ve been to all those team’s games. So, we’ve got that information,” Ravens Head Coach John Harbaugh said on Monday.  “And then this week, our coaches will advance based on a percentage basis of the likelihood of who we’re going to play. "]

http://blogs.baltimoreravens.com/2010/12/28/ravens-scouting-playoff-opponents/

Up Close With Qadry Ismail and His Super Bowl Ring!

Maybe one of these days I will be able to maintain composure, this time I couldn't help it! That ring was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!

Ravens Chick Meets Her Idol, RAY RICE!

Ray Rice signs my blog screen shot and talks about taking care of his body as he heads into the post season as well as what needs to happen for the Ravens to come out on top of the Steelers this weekend!

AFC North Blog: Previewing AFC North Power Rankings

A weather delay involving the Philadelphia Eagles and Minnesota Vikings will push back ESPN.com's NFL Power Rankings to Wednesday. But here is an early look at how Week 16 results could impact the AFC North: 
http://espn.go.com/blog/afcnorth/post/_/id/22302/previewing-afc-north-power-rankings-12

For the Baltimore Ravens, Playoffs Are Just the Beginning

http://blogs.baltimoreravens.com/2010/12/27/playoffs-are-just-the-beginning/

Five Things We Learned in the Ravens 20-10 win

http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/ravens/blog/2010/12/five_things_we_learned_in_the_ravens_2010_win.html

Finale against Bengals critical

"Sunday's regular-season finale against the Bengals in Baltimore is big for a couple reasons. First, the Ravens have to win to have a shot at the AFC North title and a first-round bye in the playoffs.


Second, it would be meaningful for Joe Flacco to have a big game against the Bengals to carry over into the postseason. Flacco and the Ravens have lost three in a row to Cincinnati, and the three losses were very similar."
Full story here!

Has Harbaugh Contract Extension Talk Begun?

[ "With a 20-10 win over the Browns, Head Coach John Harbaugh became just the fourth coach since 1990 to lead his team to the playoffs in his first three years along with Bill Cowher, Dennis Green and Barry Switzer.

But the talk about a possible contract extension for Harbaugh began before Sunday’s game even started." ]

Full story here!

Flacco in rare playoff company

[ "Joe Flacco is the third starting quarterback since 1970 to lead his team to the NFL postseason in his first three seasons, joining Bernie Kosar (1985-87) and Dan Marino (1983-86) accomplished the feat." ]
http://www.fanfeedr.com/nfl/2010/12/27/flacco-in-rare-playoff-company

My Thoughts On Today's Game

Ravens are in! It is official, for the third season in a row Baltimore is in the playoffs!

For the first time in a few weeks, I wasn’t nervous at any point during today’s game. In fact, my mom swears that at one point in the third quarter my eyes were shut (this is debatable!). I’m certainly not going to complain that the game was a snoozer because I would much prefer that to the Ravens more recent style of nerve-wracking play! I know that everyone in Baltimore was as proud as I was to celebrate the team’s huge accomplishment.

Lately, more than a few Ravens naysayers have been emerging from the Baltimore woodworks. These “Balti-morons” have been so critical of a team that has largely given us so much to be proud of this season! Sure, there will always been those annoying people that want to pick apart the tiny details but all in all, we have a team that boasts an 11-4 record and the possibility of winning the AFC North. (Come on… we could be from Carolina!) How much more could we possibly ask for?

Things we should be particularly proud of? Especially after today’s game, we should be proud that our defense is continuing to produce! Ray Lewis and Ed Reed are carrying this team on their backs and as a fan; I have nothing but the greatest admiration for these two future Hall of Famers.

Ray Lewis talked some trash pretty publicly this week comparing Peyton Hillis to a “blind cat” and inferring that the Ravens defense essentially handed him their last game on a silver platter. He very confidently stated that it would not be happening again and not too surprisingly – it didn’t.

I might be a little bit biased here because of my fan-girl response to all things Ray Lewis but if there is ever a player who can back up his words, it is Ray Lewis. Despite some of the criticism he received for what some perceived as unsportsmanlike comments, I think the nature of his statements were to pump up and motivate his team. He wanted his teammates to perform and today, they didn’t let him down. Look at the ease with which the Ravens defense produced turnovers today!

Ed Reed really dominated rookie QB Colt McCoy today and forced him to make not one, but two mistakes. McCoy may be the answer to the Browns 29^th ranked offense’s prayers, but today he collapsed under Ravens defensive pressure. He just couldn’t handle my Ray Ray… I truly appreciate the wisdom and experience that Reed and Lewis bring to the table and I am sure that Ravens fans everywhere recognize the effects of their leadership too!

There is no denying that the defense looked hot today, with two interceptions Ed Reed was on fire. Apparently, his fire was so hot that he literally caught flame on the sideline! Lewis was reliable as always and got the job done making sure that Hillis didn’t make fools of the Baltimore defense for a second time. Lardarius Webb really made a name for himself today too, which was exciting having met him earlier this week!

Have I neglected the offense?! Oops, I think it is time that I offer my congratulations to the offensive line, these guys really stepped it up today. Joe Flacco had 2 touchdown passes today as well as a few third down pickups. He was only sacked once and he was impeccably cool under pressure even making a few runs. The penalty situation was entirely under control today as the Baltimore Ravens only recorded ONE, yupp O-N-E penalty the entire game! (Hats off to Oher!)

I’m really excited to see what the playoff picture holds for the Ravens. If ever there was a time for this team to peak, it is now. The defense is holding up their end of the bargain and the offense is really starting to put the pieces together. We will continue to hope for the return of Todd Heap as well as for a speedy recovery for Morgan Cox’s knee injury. We are dodged the bullet today in Cleveland so let’s hope for a nice win against the Bengals next weekend, it’s time to redeem ourselves!

NFL Playoff Picture: Ravens Put Pressure on the Steelers!

AFC

1. x- New England Patriots, 13-2 (clinched home-field advantage with win on Sunday in Buffalo)

2. x- Pittsburgh Steelers, 11-4 (can clinch bye with win next week)

3. x- Kansas City Chiefs, 10-5 

4. Indianapolis Colts, 9-6 (can claim AFC South title with win in Week 17)

5. x- Baltimore Ravens, 11-4 (can clinch bye with win and a Steelers loss in Week 17)

6. x- New York Jets 10-5

In the hunt: 

Jacksonville Jaguars, 8-7 (can claim AFC South title with win and Colts loss in Week 17)

NFC

1. x- Atlanta Falcons, 12-2 (can clinch home-field advantage with win vs. Saints on Monday)

2. x- Chicago Bears, 11-4 (can clinch bye with loss by Eagles on Tuesday or a win next week)

3. x- Philadelphia Eagles (need wins in final two games and a Week 17 loss by Bears to claim bye)

4. St. Louis Rams, 7-8 (must win on road against Seattle Seahawks next week to claim NFC West)

5. New Orleans Saints, 10-4 (can clinch playoff berth with win on Monday in Atlanta; still eligible to win NFC South)

6. Green Bay Packers, 9-6 (can clinch playoff berth by beating Bears in Week 17)

In the hunt: 

New York Giants, 9-6 (could have clinched by beating Packers in Week 17)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 9-6 (if Saints lose Monday, can claim playoff berth by winning in New Orleans in Week 17)

Seattle Seahawks, 6-9 (can win NFC West by beating Rams in Week 17)

Full story here!

Can we do it again?

?!?!

Flacco to Houshmandzadeh for a 15-yard TD

Joe Flacco hits T.J. Houshmandzadeh in the end zone for a 15-yard TD in the 2nd quarter vs. the Browns.
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-highlights/09000d5d81d34300/Flacco-to-Houshmandzadeh-TD

Ravens postgame press conference

http://www.nfl.com/videos/baltimore-ravens/09000d5d81d3822b/Ravens-postgame-press-conference

Playoffs here we come...

Ravens May Need New Long Snapper

After Morgan Cox's knee injury his season could be in jeopardy... full story here from the Baltimore Ravens homepage!

Ed Reed Was On Fire Today... Literally

Check out the side line video here!

ESPN AFC North Blog: Rapid Reaction

Check it out here!

Images: (Photos by Matt Sullivan/Getty Images)

Quick Recap

Ravens rough up the Browns 20-10!
http://www.fanfeedr.com/nfl/sundays-recaps/2010/12/26/ravens-rough-up-browns-20-10

Ravens vs. Browns Boxscore

I've been looking at the boxscores with my dad lately and find them pretty interesting as far as individual stats go! Great game for the Ravens today, couldn't be prouder that we are headed to the playoffs! I will have my own thoughts on the game a little later but for now enjoy the Boxscore!

 ★MERRY*•˚° ★。 ° ˛˚˛★* •。* •。★* •。★*˚
...° 。* •。˛˚*° 。˚*•★*CHRISTMAS★ 。*˚° 。 ° ˛˚*° 。˚*• °
° 。.°˛˚* _Π_____*。*˚° 。 ° ˛˚*˚° • 。 ° ˛˚*˚° • 。 ° ˛˚
˚ ˛˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ° 。• ° ˛˚˚° 。 ° ˛˚˛˚˚° 。 ° ˛˚˛
˚ ˛˛ ˚ *｜田田｜門｜ ˚˚˚° 。 ° ˛˚˛˚

Ray Lewis tries to set a tone vs. Browns

[ "There are very few times during his career that Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis has called out a team or a player.

Usually, it's the other way around, and then Lewis responds. But I like Lewis telling the Cleveland Browns that running back Peyton Hillis won't have a repeat performance of the 144 rushing yards he had against the Ravens three months ago.

In that game, Hillis embarrassed the Ravens and made a name for himself throughout the league. In fact, it was the worst beat-down of a Ravens defense by an opposing running offense in team history.

The Browns didn't finesse the Ravens, either, with a lot of tosses, sweeps and traps. They came with a lot of straight 1-2-3, man-on-man, helmet-on-helmet blocking and physically dominated Baltimore.

Lewis is talking because he is trying to set a tone." ]

http://www.fanfeedr.com/nfl/2010/12/24/mike-preston-ray-lewis-trying-to-set-tone-for-browns-game

Top 10 Christmas Wishes

What are the Ravens wishing for this year? Among the things on the list are sacks for Terrell Suggs and recovery for Todd Heap! Check the full list out here on the Ravens home page!

Ray Rice Wins His First Ever AFC Offensive Player of the Week Award!

http://www.fanfeedr.com/nfl/2010/12/22/ray-rice-wins-his-first-afc-offensive-play-of-week-award

After Sergio Kindle's Tragic Injury, It Remains Uncertain Whether He Will Play Next Season

I was literally just talking to my dad in the car the other day and he told me I should create a post about Sergio Kindle and his recovery status. I was surprised to see the Baltimore Sun headline today literally addressing my exact thoughts! From reading, I have learned that after meeting with his doctor Tuesday night Kindle Tweeted fans that it was still very uncertain as to whether he would ever be able to play for the Ravens.

The Baltimore Sun's story dives deeper into the issue so if you are interested, check it out here!

Michael Oher focused on cutting false-start penalties

"[ A day after Ravens coach John Harbaugh jokingly suggested on his radio show that he might institute running laps in practice if Michael Oher continues his bad habit of moving early, the left tackle didn't disagree with his coach.

"Something like that," Oher said Wednesday before the team's practice in Owings Mills. "You've got to get it done. But I'm pretty sure it's done after the last game. Should be done."

Asked what gave him the confidence to say that, Oher said, "I've just got to get it done. I've just got to do it."


Oher leads the team in both penalties (11) and false starts (eight) this season and has accrued a combined 19 penalties and 14 false starts in two seasons. ]"


Full story here!

Todd Heap returns to practice

"Baltimore Ravens tight end Todd Heap returns to practice on a limited basis after missing the past two games with a pulled right hamstring.

Heap is expected to play this week, barring a setback this week in practice. If he can’t go, rookie tight end Ed Dickson will start again."

Full story here at the National Football Post

Week 16 Power Rankings From Ravens Gab

1. Patriots
2. Falcons
3. Ravens
4. Eagles
5. Steelers

Would YOU agree? Click here for the complete list from Ravens Gab!

CBS Sports asks, who is the MVP for the 2010 Baltimore Ravens?

Is it Joe Flacco? Terrell Suggs? Sam Koch? Click here to cast your vote!

My Video: Lardarius Webb On Who He Learns From

My Video: Lardarius Webb Wants a Touchdown!

My Video: Lardarius Webb On What His Fans Mean to Him

Lardarius Webb Digs His Ravens Chicks!

Inside The Ravens With Aaron Wilson - Ravens looking to build some playoff mojo

Read the full story by Aaron Wilson here at Ravens24x7.com!

Harbaugh: Todd Heap Could Return on Sunday!

Check out what he had to say here!

Rating the Ravens Against the Saints

"[ The Ravens defeated the Super Bowl Champs in the New Orleans Saints 30-24 Sunday in impressive faction and with a team in the Ravens fighting for a playoff spot and still having an opportunity to win the AFC North, the Ravens may have put together one of their more complete games of the year when it comes to game-planning against a superior opponent. ]"
Read here to see what WNST Baltimore Sports has to say!

This Weekend's Top 7 Ravens

WNST Baltimore Sports blog offer their picks here!
What would your list look like?

Joe Flacco On His Colorful Verbal Tirade Caught On TV

Inside The Ravens With Aaron Wilson - RAVENS NOTEBOOK: Redding's first career interception seals game

"[ The football hung in the air for a while after Haloti Ngata swatted it at the line of scrimmage, too long for Cory Redding to feel comfortable. So, the Baltimore Ravens' veteran defensive end leapt into the air to haul in the first interception of his career. Redding's fourth-quarter interception helped preserve the Ravens' 30-24 victory Sunday over the New Orleans Saints, setting up Billy Cundiff's 27-yard field goal with nine seconds remaining in the game. ]"

Full story here!

Ravens send Saints packing, pick up confidence boost in 30-24 win

"[ It took until Week 15 for the Ravens to establish their smash-mouth identity, but they didn't smack just any team in the mouth. Ray Rice ran past -- and through -- the defending Super Bowl champions, producing a career-high 233 total yards and two touchdowns. The Ravens' blitzing defense crashed the pocket around Saints quarterback Drew Brees and slowed a team that had scored 30 points in five straight games. ]"
Full story here!

Breaking down AFC North and playoff race

"[ The Ravens (10-4) now have the same record as the Pittsburgh (10-4), which lost to the New York Jets, but they’re technically behind the Steelers in the AFC North. If teams ended the season tied atop the division, the Steelers would win the AFC North because of a better division record (the Ravens have one more loss in the division after falling at Cincinnati in Week 2).

For the Ravens to have a shot at winning the division and claiming a top seed in the AFC playoffs, they need the Steelers to lose at least one game in the final two weeks (vs. Carolina on Thursday and at Cleveland in the regular-season finale).

“We keep the pressure on Pittsburgh this way,” coach John Harbaugh said. “We’re still trying to win the division. They have the edge because they beat us, but we’re not conceding that just yet.”

The Ravens were the ones who delivered the final blow and now find themselves in a strong position to make the playoffs for a third straight season. With two regular-season games remaining, the Ravens carry a two-game lead over the San Diego Chargers and Jacksonville Jaguars. ]"

Full story here!

Morning Take: Ravens Make A Statement

Morning take: The Ravens played a complete game and finished against a strong opponent. When Baltimore plays this way, the team is capable of beating any team in the NFL. 
Check out what James Walker had to say about the win and what it means for the Ravens!

Rearview Mirror - RAVENS REPORT CARD: Ravens 30, Saints 24

Check out what my friends over at Ravens24x7 have to say about the Ravens play yesterday!
Click here!

New Orleans Saints vs Baltimore Ravens 24 - 30 Highlights 12/19/2010

What would you give for the man beside you?

 

Merry Christmas Baltimore!

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/ravens/bs-sp-cowherd-ravens-saints-1220-20101219,0,4705890.column?track=rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+baltimoresun/sports/football/rss2+(+Ravens/Football)

Like What You See?

I created a Facebook page so you can check for updates on new material posted as well as comment on things you read! I would also love some feedback on things that you would like to see that I might not currently be covering!
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Chicks-Who-Dig-Baltimore-Ravens-Football/177919105559616

Still as excited as I am about the big win today?! Visit my page and tell me how you are celebrating!

Rice Runs Ravens Past Saints

BALTIMORE -- By breaking two alarming trends, the Baltimore Ravens snapped the six-game winning streak of the defending Super Bowl champions.

Ray Rice ran for 153 yards, caught five passes for 80 yards and scored two touchdowns to carry the Ravens over the New Orleans Saints 30-24 on Sunday.

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/more_sports/rice_runs_ravens_past_saints_NRenBCzDZHmKVi672V25EP#ixzz18bujW3mj

Ravens Hold On, Edge Saints 30-24

"[ The Baltimore Ravens led the New Orleans Saints 27-24 with a few minutes left in the game and most fans on the edge of their seats, waiting for Saints QB Drew Brees to drive his team down the field for either the game-tying field goal or even worse, the game-winning touchdown. Ravens punter Sam Koch pinned New Orleans down deep in their own territory and Brees lined up under center to do what he has done so many times before. Alas, for Saints' fans, it was just not to be, as the Ravens held the Saints as the defense came up with the interception on fourth down to stop them and placekicker Billy Cundiff put the final nail in the coffin with a short FG for the final score. ]"
Read the full story here!

Where do we stack up? Team Stats

Net Total Yards:

18. Baltimore 4353 yds

Passing:

14. Baltimore 2989 yds

Total First Downs

11. Baltimore 261

Kickoff Return Yards

12. Baltimore 1215 yds

Gross Punting Yards

14. Baltimore 2865 yds

Check out espn.com for full lists!

Where do we stand? Quarterback Rating Leaders

7. Ben Roethlisberger 94.8 QB Rating

8. Joe Flacco 94 QB Rating

9. Drew Brees 93.6 QB Rating

From espn.com

How do Ravens fans feel about Harbaugh and his staff? It's complicated.

[" Expectations were set very high this year for the Ravens. Even though they didn't come right out and boast that they would be going to the Super Bowl, or that they were the team to beat in the AFC the way the Jets did, they made it clear the goal was winning a championship. Every inconsistency, when coupled with the addition of Anquan Boldin and T.J. Houshmanzadeh, has been magnified by those expectations. But as Harbaugh told me when I interviewed him for the story "We could go on a three-game winning streak [to end the season], and everyone would be really excited. "]
Full story here.

Keys to the Game: New Orleans @ Baltimore

[" In the past two weeks the Ravens have been mirror images of one another. Against Pittsburgh they did everything right and lost. Against Houston they did everything wrong and won. Boggles the mind really. But that was then, and unfortunately in the NFL you have to keep moving forward in order to win. The New Orleans Saints roll into town on a winning streak and sporting a 30+ point per game average of late. It’s going to take every ounce of heart the Ravens have to walk out as winners. With that in mind, let’s take a lok at this week’s keys to the game. "]

More here..

Ravens-Saints primer

[" You would expect the arrival of the defending Super Bowl champs at M&T Bank Stadium not only to grab the Ravens’ attention on Sunday, but to elevate their game a notch or two. Even if you don’t accept the theory the Ravens play to the level of the opposition, it is fact they have put away only two teams in convincing style this season. And one of those teams – the Panthers – took the Ravens into the fourth quarter before surrender. "]
Read the rest of the story here!

When the going gets tough... give up?

Ravens fans are known throughout the NFL as being the most loyal and supportive in the league. After some of the recent blog posts and Twitter posts that I've been reading this week, I had to check the definition of loyal. The dictionary defines 'loyal' as 'giving or showing firm and and constant support or allegiance to a person or institution.' Seeing fans knocking Ray Lewis on his own Facebook page or writing blog posts like, "The Worst 9-4 Team in the NFL?"makes me wonder, have we lost the true meaning of the word loyalty in context of loving your team no matter what? We are currently in the Christmas season and despite finals, I am enjoying every minute of the anticipation leading up to my favorite holiday. It makes me sad that some people lose sight of the true meaning of Christmas and what the holiday is really about as they get caught up in the stress of entertaining family or buying the perfect gifts. Just as some lose sight of the true meaning of Christmas, I think there are some fans who have lost the true meaning of being a loyal fan. As we are nearing the playoffs, fans are so worried about making it there that they aren't enjoying the roller coaster ride that we are on to get there. I'm not saying that there aren't things happening on the field that we have room to criticize, there were things on Monday night that made me absolutely cringe. But at the end of the day, look at what an amazing save Josh Wilson made with his interception and 12 yard touchdown in overtime for the win. Come on, that was exciting! Nerve-wracking, but exciting nonetheless. I understand peoples need to vent and let out their frustration but to do it so publicly and directly towards the players themselves, makes me a little embarrassed. Arguably one of the most influential players in football, Ray Lewis, has Baltimore fans telling him he 'sucks' on his own Facebook page. Seriously? If I were the Baltimore Ravens right now, I would feel pretty disappointed about the so called loyalty of the fans. Free speech, first amendment, blah blah blah, let's not go disrespect the very team that has produced a winning record for us this season and that is very much alive and well in the race to the playoffs. I love having a team that I am proud of and I have never been prouder than I was following the Ravens vs. Steelers game. Yes, we lost, but those guys played their hearts out and I have FAITH in the fact that we will most definitely beat that nasty team in the playoffs. I was proud of how we dominated the first half on Monday night and I was disappointed that we gave up in the second half. But you know what? I haven't given up on my team. I haven't disregarded the fact that a win is a win and as sloppy as the win in Houston was, it counts the same as a blowout win. I'm not going to ramble on much longer but I want to end with this, on Sunday the Ravens will be playing the reigning Super Bowl champions in Baltimore. Up until the loss to the Steelers, we were undefeated at home. When I watch replays from home games, I am always blown away by the sea of purple and the enthusiasm that the fans show. Yes, this is going to be a tough game on Sunday but rather than lose faith and look at all the odds against a Ravens win, let's get ready to brave the elements and stand loyal and true to a team that has been pretty darn good to us this season. Don't lose faith and don't give up on them because we still have a chance. When the going gets tough for our Baltimore Ravens, lets stand by them as they keep on going!

Saints QB Drew Brees thinks beating Ravens' defense is no easy task

"[ Drew Brees had a vested interest in watching the Ravens defense's implosion and subsequent vindication in the team's 34-28 overtime win against the Houston Texans Monday night. His reaction was slightly different from the alarmed response Ravens fans have been emitting.

"I don't buy too much into that," the New Orleans Saints quarterback said during a conference call with Baltimore media Wednesday afternoon, "just because they had a 28-7 lead, and so it seemed like it was a lot of prevent [defense], pretty conservative. The Texans have a great offense, and they were able to move the ball in two-minute situations and stuff at the end of the game. But I have a lot of respect for that defense. I always have. So I just kind of see that as a little bit of an aberration." ]"
Full story here from the Baltimore Sun. 

Baltimore Sun and WJZ's Mark Viviano NFL picks: Week 15

Well, they aren't very optimistic about the Ravens winning this weekend. Four out of the six predict that the Saints will win this Sunday in Baltimore. 

Check out their picks here.

Could Mother Nature Help The Ravens This Weekend?

According to Jamison Hensley of the Baltimore Sun, the Saints are 3-3 under Head Coach Sean Payton when have played in cold weather conditions in December. The Saints are used to being protected from the elements while playing inside of their Superdome. This week as they travel to Baltimore, they won't have a dome to protect them from the 35-degree temperature predicted for M&T Bank Stadium on Sunday. The winds could reach up to 12 mph, and Payton isn't underplaying the effect it could have on his offense. 

“I think the wind can definitely affect the passing game,” he said. “I think the wind is probably more of a factor than possibly rain and/or cold temperatures. … You know that the elements are always something you have to pay attention to.”

Mason asks fans to keep things in perspective

"I understand where they're coming from, the fans," Mason said. "But just as bad as they feel, we feel even worse because we're out there playing. We see the mistakes we're making and we know they can be corrected." 
Full story here from the Baltimore Sun!

Time for Ravens to scare rest of NFL

"[ It's time for this team to start scaring the rest of the NFL again.

It's time for the Ravens to take the training wheels off this offense, an offense that was expected to offer so much excitement with three new and talented wide receivers, but often produces only yawns.

And it's time for the defense to show it hasn't gotten old and slow and predictable, which is the whisper you hear around the league these days, even from the beefy ex-players in Armani suits who yak it up on the pre- and post-game shows.

Yep, all this has to happen, no doubt about it. And it better happen soon — this Sunday against the Saints would be a good start — if the Ravens want to make any kind of run in the playoffs. ]"
Full story here from the Baltimore Sun!

NFL Network: Playbook: Ravens vs. Texans Recap

Baltimore Ravens | Media | NFL Network: Playbook: Ravens vs. Texans Recap (video!)

4 Reasons for ‘Maddening’ 4th-Qtr Woes

"[ Relinquishing six fourth-quarter leads with less than five minutes left in regulation, including three times in the final 30 seconds, the Baltimore Sun’s Jamison Hensley called the Ravens late-game play "maddening."

"When it comes to the fourth quarter, there are so many strange and unbelievable twists that it seems like the Ravens are stuck in an M. Night Shyamalan movie," wrote Hensley. "The only certainty with the Ravens in the fourth quarter is the uncertainty."

Hensley named four factors that are contributing to the Ravens' failure to hold fourth- quarter leads. And to offer a Ravens’ point of view (and a different way to review some of the points he made in this weekly WBAL radio show last night), I will add Head Coach John Harbaugh’s most recent comments on each factor Hensley provides. ]"

Read here for the list!